Run With Mu

“Are you okay?” I have been asked this question twice in the late stages of marathons by well-meaning spectators, who were observing my faltering gait with genuine concern. They were, of course, simply worried that I was about to topple over. But what a tidy little koan that is. I wonder how we would react if a total stranger came up to us at random moments during our day, peered closely into our faces, and asked, “Are you okay?”